Regret
by Rose Thorne
Summary: Rezo and Xellos have a brief, unfriendly conversation in Taforashia, and come to an uneasy agreement. Xellos/Zelgadis


**Regret**

by Rose Thorne

Disclaimer: _Slayers_ is owned by a bunch of folks who aren't me. I'm borrowing them for my perverse pleasure, much as Xellos borrows emotions for his.

* * *

Mazoku didn't _regret_.

The fact that Xellos had to remind himself of that fact was a little concerning.

He had to follow his orders, but he'd never wanted to defy them so badly before.

It had been hard to watch and not act when Zelgadis had confronted Rezo's jar, and even harder when the little rat-plushie prince flew off toward Taforashia—and Rezo's inevitable rebirth—with it.

But he had to stay in the shadows. Xellos was only allowed to _act_ when the time was right.

So he watched.

Watched Rezo resume a role in Zelgadis' life, watched Zelgadis _let_ him, watched the Red Priest speak to the chimera about the cure for Taforashia's people, watched him order Zelgadis around, watched Zelgadis obey, like nothing had ever happened.

And, above all, he watched for any hint that Rezo was going to tell Zelgadis the truth.

He didn't, but still Xellos watched, even after Zelgadis left the storeroom to run an errand. That was his mistake.

"You may as well come out. I can feel you lurking, Priest."

Xellos relented and allowed his projection to take shape. Waited while the Red Priest surveyed him with a twisted smile—blind, but the Mazoku could feel him sensing him.

"I thought it was you. Watching to make sure I don't tell my grandson your dreadful little secret?"

He couldn't quite contain a wince at the accusation. It hadn't mattered at the time, but now Xellos didn't want Zelgadis to know that it wasn't Shabranigdu who had coaxed Rezo to turn him into a chimera—it was him.

"It would destroy him," Xellos finally murmured.

"Yes," Rezo said bitterly. "It would certainly finish destroying him, if he discovered what the creature he's _involved_ with is responsible for."

Xellos said nothing, surprised that the Red Priest knew—had realized in such a short time.

"I can't imagine you intended to form an attachment to him at the time; maybe you didn't even intend to when you seduced him. I should kill you for that, for taking what innocence he had left. I'm sure you were entertained by the prospect that he would learn the truth."

Mazoku do not regret, Xellos reminded himself again.

But that mantra wasn't convincing him in the face of his desperate wish that Zelgadis never discovered the truth, and the underlying wish that he had never manipulated Rezo in the first place.

"Don't tell him," Xellos finally said. He couldn't quite keep a plea from his voice.

"Your concern for his well-being is touching."

Rezo's tone of voice belied his words—angry, accusatory, and perhaps worst of all, condescending. And, really, there was nothing that Xellos could say in response to it.

He didn't like being at the mercy of a mere human, especially not one who had so much reason to hate him. Really, he could only take comfort in the fact that Rezo was unlikely to want to cause Zelgadis any more pain.

"I won't tell him. _If_ you swear on your honor to protect him—protect all of them—when the time comes," Rezo finally said. "You know as well as I do that they have no chance against a Shard as corrupted as the one I carry, not without aid. You will render that aid."

The demand didn't countermand his orders. Although he was sure Zelas would prefer that he play a more passive role, he would be excused if he found it necessary to get involved.

"Agreed."

The Red Priest's bitter smile returned at that—bitter, no doubt, that despite everything, despite having bargained for the protection of his grandson, he would still be blamed by him for the curse.

It was a role Xellos was glad to be relieved of.

"Then we have nothing more to discuss, Mazoku. Begone."

There was power behind the word, and although Xellos could have defied it, he chose to let it banish him to the Astral plane.

He did, after all, deserve it.

* * *

Yet another Springkink fic, written for the prompt: Slayers, Xelloss/Zelgadis: angst, secrets - It hadn't mattered at the time, but now Xelloss didn't want Zelgadis to know that it wasn't Shabranigdo who coaxed Rezo to turn Zelgadis into a chimera - it was him.

Definitely a prompt that appealed to me! Plenty of angst!


End file.
